Life and Literature: Over two thousand extracts from ancient and modern writers,; and classified in alphabetical orderRichardson, John Purver
General
Life and Literature: Over two thousand extracts from ancient and modern writers,; and classified in alphabetical order
Richardson, John Purver
Quotations
A Scotch Highlander was taken prisoner by a tribe of Indians; his life
was about to be sacrificed, when the chief adopted him as his son. They
carried him into the interior; he learnt their language, assumed their
habits, and became skillful in the use of their arms. After a season the
same tribe began their route to join the French army, at that time
opposed to the British. It was necessary to pass near to the British
lines during the night. Very early in the morning, and it was spring,
the old chief roused the young Highlander from his repose: he took him
to an eminence, and pointed out to him the tents of his countrymen. The
old man appeared to be dreadfully agitated, and there was a keen
restlessness in his eye. After a pause--"I lost," said he, "my only son
in a battle with your nation; are you the only son of your father? And
do you think that your father is yet alive?" The young man replied, "I
am the only son of my father, and I hope that my father is yet alive."
They stood close to a beautiful magnolia in full blossom. The prospect
was grand and enchanting, and all its charms were crowned by the sun,
which had fully emerged from the horizon. The old chief, looking
steadfastly at his companion, exclaimed: "Let thy heart rejoice at the
beauty of the scene! To me it is as the desert; but you are free; return
to your countrymen, revisit your father that he may again rejoice when
he sees the sun rise in the morning, and the trees blossom in the
spring!"
1037
Little acts of kindness are stowed away in the heart, like bags of
lavender in a drawer, to sweeten every object around them.
1038
A good man that has done a kindness never proclaims it, but does another
as soon as he can; much like the vine which is satisfied by being
fruitful in its kind, and bears a bunch of grapes without expecting
thanks for it.
1039
There's no dearth of kindness
In this world of ours;
Only in our blindness
We gather thorns for flowers.
--_Gerald Massey._
1040
Money can be repaid--
Not kindness such as yours.
--_Shakespeare._
1041
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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